Written Answers Wednesday 15 September 2010

Scottish Executive

2012 Commonwealth Games

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for visits by ministers and officials to the (a) Maldives and (b) Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Shona Robison: There are no plans for either ministers or officials to visit the Maldives. The First Minister and I will represent the interests of the Scottish Government by attending the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi to support Team Scotland and undertake other Scottish Government business. We will be supported by the appropriate officials.

Constitution

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state its current position with regard to proposed action regarding a referendum on independence.

Bruce Crawford: The proposed Referendum (Scotland) Bill will be published shortly, and will focus the debate in Scotland on the need for economic and financial powers for the Scottish Parliament and Government as the only possible alternative to a decade or more of Westminster imposed cuts.

Data Security

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of recent findings on the loss and theft of personal data by public bodies, when it expects to publish its guidelines on identity management and privacy principles.

John Swinney: The analysis report for the consultation of the draft identity management and privacy principles is due to be published in September 2010. After considering the analysis report, we expect to publish the final text during autumn 2010.

  It remains the responsibility of individual police forces, local authorities and NHS boards to ensure that personal or sensitive information is stored securely and they are bound by legal requirements set out in the Data Protection Act and the Human Rights Act.

Energy

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) objections and (b) expressions of support had been received by 1 September 2010 regarding the application to construct and operate a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston.

Jim Mather: By 1 September 2010, 13 expressions of support had been received alongside approximately 15,500 objections to the Hunterston proposal.

Ferry Services

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with representatives of Norfolkline and DFDS since they took over as the operators of the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry and what issues were discussed.

Stewart Stevenson: We have had frequent meetings with Norfolkline/DFDS since they re-launched the route in May 2009. Official meetings have been conducted through a steering group and two sub-groups covering freight and passenger issues.

Ferry Services

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sea passenger movements on the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route were recorded in each month since January 2008.

Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Rosyth-Zeebrugge Ferry Service-Passenger Traffic Volumes

  

 Month
 2008
 No. of Arrivals
 2009
 No. of Arrivals
 2010
 No. of Arrivals


 January
 3,095
 13
 -
 
 1,189
 13


 February
 3,161
 12
 -
 
 1,237
 12


 March
 5,594
 11
 -
 
 1,871
 13


 April
 8,431
 13
 -
 
 5,076
 13


 May
 10,592
 14
 2,078
 6
 4,683
 13


 June
 9,945
 12
 4,246
 13
 5,654
 13


 July
 14,137
 14
 6,856
 13
 8,867
 14


 August
 12,808
 13
 6,366
 13
 7,565*
 13


 September
 4,909
 6
 4,039
 13
 
 


 October
 -
 
 3,397
 14
 
 


 November
 -
 
 1,382
 12
 
 


 December
 -
 
 2,202
 13
 
 



  Notes: *Latest date for which data are available.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry link in continental Europe.

Stewart Stevenson: VisitScotland is continuing to work closely with DFDS on joint marketing campaigns.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated to promote the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry link in continental Europe in 2010-11, broken down by method of promotion, and how this compares with the overall budget allocated to promote the Scottish tourism sector in continental Europe over the same time period.

Stewart Stevenson: VisitScotland is providing £98,800 of marketing support to the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service in 2010-11. VisitScotland’s overall European Campaign spend for the same period is £1,000,000 and the total European Marketing spend is £2,218,975.

  Activities supported by this expenditure include listing on VisitScotland.com and in the main VisitScotland overseas guide, coverage in direct mail and in inserts, online coverage, tactical advertisements, press/PR activity and coverage at exhibitions.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans NHS Lanarkshire has to provide for a WestMARC satellite clinic in Lanarkshire.

Shona Robison: NHS Lanarkshire is working closely with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in order to take forward the development of a new wheelchair facility and clinic in Wishaw with the additional funding that is being provided by the Scottish Government for wheelchair services modernisation.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34826 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2010, what the detailed remit and operation are of the national scrutiny group announced on 3 June 2010.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34827 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2010, who is represented on the national scrutiny group announced on 3 June 2010.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34828 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2010, what issues were discussed by the national scrutiny group at its meeting on 4 August 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: The National Scrutiny Group met for the first time on 4 August 2010 under my chairmanship. I have placed copies of the agenda for that meeting, the supporting papers (which include remit and membership) and the minutes of the meeting in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51640).

  The second meeting was held on 9 September 2010 and among other things agreed to develop a process to facilitate the flow of commentaries on individual NHS boards’ workforce plans from local Area Partnership Forums to the National Scrutiny Group. I will make the papers for that meeting available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (under the above Bib. number) in due course, once the minutes have been circulated to group members. The next meeting is likely to be in early November.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify what workforce plans have been considered and were approved by the national scrutiny group at its meeting on 4 August 2010.

Nicola Sturgeon: The National Scrutiny Group was not established to approve NHS boards workforce plans as that responsibility properly rests with each individual NHS board. The National Scrutiny Group will monitor workforce plans to ensure they are the result of genuine partnership working and that the implementation of any changes described in those plans does not impact on the quality of patient care. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36104 on 15 September 2010 which gave details of the remit and membership of the National Scrutiny All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rent arrears in each local authority was in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The rent arrears in each local authority are given as part of the official statistics publication, Local authority housing income and expenditure: 1997-98 to 2009-10 . The publication and associated tables can be accessed at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/HRA2008-09.

  Details of rent arrears in each local authority are available on the Excel tables accessible through this link.

Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29917 by John Swinney on 21 December 2009, how many of its staff are seconded to the Improvement Service.

John Swinney: No members of the Scottish Government staff are seconded to the Improvement Service.

Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19966 by John Swinney on 27 January 2009, what level of funding it provided to the Improvement Service for 2009-10.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government provided £1.5 million in grant funding to the Improvement Service for 2009-10 for specific projects. These are Shared Services, Customer First, the Planning Development Programme and an Outcome Related Capacity Building Pilot for Community Planning Partnerships.

Improvement Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Improvement Service is subject to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

John Swinney: The Improvement Service is not subject to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, which applies to Scottish public authorities. A list of the relevant authorities is available on the website of the Scottish Information Commissioner:

  http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/home/ScottishInformationCommissioner.asp.

Local Government

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many councillors the Improvement Service has dealt with directly as part of its role in promoting local government.

John Swinney: This is a matter for the Improvement Service and individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35638 by John Swinney on 26 August 2010, whether the aspects of the operation of the Government Car Service that it will be looking at will include a significant reduction in its car pool provision.

John Swinney: We will continue to look at all aspects of operation of the Government Car Service to ensure efficiency.

Ministerial Visits

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-21273 by Michael Russell on 24 February 2009, what the current position is regarding ministerial visits to Qatar.

Fiona Hyslop: There are currently no plans for ministers to visit Qatar.

NHS Finance

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it expects the financial consequences for Scotland will be as a result of the proposed reforms of the NHS in England.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health is a devolved matter and therefore changes proposed by the UK Government to NHS services in England do not have a direct impact on NHSScotland, however we are working with colleagues in the Department of Health to keep in touch with ongoing developments.

NHS Staff

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS physiotherapists there have been in post in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to the question S3W-34365 on 21 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

NHS Staff

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school nurses there have been in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division Scotland annually, as at 30 September. Data on school nurses by NHS board at 30 September 2007 to 2009 is available at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Nursing_and_midwifery%202009a.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

National Conversation

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is regarding the National Conversation.

Bruce Crawford: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35364 on 13 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Planning

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any performance measurement and published data on the performance of local planning departments.

John Swinney: The most recent data on planning authority performance was published by the Scottish Government on 13 August 2010 and can be accessed on the Scottish Government’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/planapps2010 .

Procurement

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the importance of stipulating that when public authorities let major contracts, such as the New South Glasgow Hospitals Project, they specify that successful contractors make use of and apply the national collective agreements that exist in the electrical and mechanical sectors, which are committed to and support apprentice/adult trainee recruitment, skills and competence training, direct employment, a modern employee reward and benefits package and high standards of health and safety.

Nicola Sturgeon: At a national level, Scottish Government attaches high importance to supporting Scottish businesses and individuals through the financial support it gives to apprenticeship schemes. One of Scottish Government’s national outcomes is to "realize our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people". Our commitment to the New South Glasgow Hospital project and the employment opportunities it will bring is well documented.

  The preferred bidder, Brookfield, has an agreed position on the National Code of Conduct with the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and technicians (UCATT) and will formally enter into an agreement for the New Southern General Hospital Project following approval of the Full Business Case. UCATT will have a full time convener on site and Brookfield will support UCATT in seeking to ensure that the recommendations of the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC), with respect to pay and holidays, are adopted on the site.

  More generally within NHS Scotland, the "Frameworks Scotland" national construction framework is used to support major public capital funded projects. Issues such as involvement of local businesses, skills and competence training employment and health and safety were factors taken in to account in the selection of the Principal Supply Chain Partners in the Framework.

Rail Services

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact speed restrictions on trains passing through Carstairs railway station and Carstairs junction have on timetabling decisions on the west coast main line between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Stewart Stevenson: Speed restrictions are taken into account in the calculation of Sectional Running Times (SRTs) upon which timetables are constructed. Due to the tight curve radius and adverse camber at Carstairs junction, the line speed is restricted to 15mph.

Rail Services

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35605 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 September 2010, whether under the Railways Act 2005 it is the operator of last resort in the event of the ScotRail franchise being withdrawn or ending without another franchisee being appointed.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are the relevant franchising authority for the rail passenger services provided under the ScotRail franchise agreement. If that agreement ended without a further franchise agreement having been entered into, Scottish Ministers would be under a duty to provide or secure the provision of those services. That duty, commonly known as "operator of last resort", is set out in section 30 of the Railways Act 1993, rather than the Railways Act 2005, and is subject to the qualifications set out in that section. The duty ceases if the services begin to be provided again under a franchise agreement.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the commitment to publish the Energy Storage Study in summer 2010 as detailed in the renewables action plan update of 28 July 2010, when it expects the study to be published.

Jim Mather: We expect the Energy Storage and Management Study to be published during October 2010.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to enter into discussions with the relevant UK bodies to review the threshold for installed capacity for applications for offshore wind farms and generating stations wholly or mainly driven by water, such as hydroelectric, wave or tidal generating stations, as laid out under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Jim Mather: On 8 September 2010 the Scottish Government launched a consultation seeking views on its proposal to raise the Section 36 Consents threshold for onshore hydropower schemes from over 1 Megawatt (MW) to over 50 MW. The consultation welcomes views from a wide range of stakeholders and is open until 1 December 2010.

  There is currently no intention to review the threshold for offshore wind farms or marine (wave and tidal) applications.

Roads

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) non-fatal casualties occurred on the A95 in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010.

Stewart Stevenson: The following table shows a summary of the information requested:

  A95 Casualties by Year and Severity

  

 Trunk Road (Granish to Keith)
 Local road (Keith to Macduff)


 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight
 Total


 2009
 3
 5
 23
 31
 0
 1
 2
 3


 2010*
 0
 0
 4
 4
 0
 0
 5
 5


 Total
 3
 5
 27
 35
 0
 1
 7
 8



  Note: *Provisional figures from 1 January 2010 to 29 June 2010.

Roads

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review its trunk road and motorway tourist signposting policy.

Stewart Stevenson: There is no proposal to formally review the current policy. The last policy review was in 2006 when the current Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy and Guidance document was published by Transport Scotland.

Roads

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent sexual health information advice service centres there have been since 2007, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: In line with our manifesto commitment, the Scottish Government has increased access to sexual health information and advice services across Scotland. Additional funding of £1 million over the years 2008-09 to 2009-10 was provided to help achieve this. As agreed with stakeholders, half of the additional funding for 2008-09 was allocated to NHS boards to assist them to increase access to accurate sexual health information, particularly in rural areas. This funding has been used to create or update local websites and service information, improve public access to sexual health websites and support the provision of information by voluntary organisations.

  Last year the Scottish Government launched the Sexual Health Scotland website, which provides information, help and advice. This can be accessed at http://www.sexualhealthscotland.co.uk.

  In addition, the availability of local drop-in services for young people, offering general health advice, chlamydia testing, pregnancy testing and condoms has increased in line with our National Outcomes 2008-11.

  Each year the Scottish Government also provides funding to a number of voluntary organisations throughout Scotland who provide independent sexual health information and advice services.

Small Businesses

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average saving has been for businesses in each savings band as a result of the introduction of the small business bonus in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

John Swinney: Average savings under the small business bonus scheme (SBBS) in each local authority by savings band is shown in the following tables for the first two years of the scheme, 2008-09 and 2009-10. Figures for 2010-11 will be available after the end of the current financial year.

  SBBS Average Saving by SBBS Band and Local Authority, 2008-09 in £

  

 2008-09
 RV Less Than 8,000- 80% Relief
 RV Between £8,000 and £10,000
  40% Relief
 RV Between £10,000 and £15,000 20% Relief
 Average Saving Over All Bands


 Aberdeen City
 1,333 
 1,462 
 1,078 
 1,312 


 Aberdeenshire
 805 
 1,529 
 1,098 
 853 


 Angus
 915 
 1,518 
 1,055 
 948 


 Argyll and Bute
 655 
 1,550 
 1,080 
 686 


 Clackmannanshire
 1,058 
 1,455 
 1,099 
 1,080 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 753 
 1,503 
 1,086 
 791 


 Dundee City
 1,213 
 1,509 
 1,089 
 1,222 


 East Ayrshire
 1,180 
 1,503 
 1,125 
 1,197 


 East Dunbartonshire
 1,407 
 1,537 
 1,121 
 1,385 


 East Lothian
 1,021 
 1,598 
 1,084 
 1,056 


 East Renfrewshire
 1,399 
 1,580 
 1,097 
 1,361 


 Edinburgh, City of
 1,391 
 1,539 
 1,077 
 1,365 


 Eilean Siar
 687 
 1,454 
 1,217 
 726 


 Falkirk
 1,192 
 1,588 
 1,091 
 1,215 


 Fife
 1,051 
 1,482 
 1,056 
 1,078 


 Glasgow City
 1,448 
 1,375 
 913 
 1,372 


 Highland
 711 
 1,536 
 1,091 
 749 


 Inverclyde
 1,355 
 1,582 
 1,110 
 1,351 


 Midlothian
 1,094 
 1,494 
 1,082 
 1,120 


 Moray
 784 
 1,576 
 1,209 
 835 


 North Ayrshire
 979 
 1,525 
 1,053 
 1,009 


 North Lanarkshire
 1,386 
 1,580 
 1,095 
 1,376 


 Orkney Islands
 559 
 1,525 
 1,054 
 593 


 Perth and Kinross
 909 
 1,496 
 1,071 
 949 


 Renfrewshire
 1,299 
 1,516 
 1,140 
 1,298 


 Scottish Borders
 761 
 1,468 
 1,091 
 794 


 Shetland Islands
 673 
 1,276 
 891 
 708 


 South Ayrshire
 1,047 
 1,480 
 1,069 
 1,077 


 South Lanarkshire
 1,334 
 1,520 
 1,088 
 1,328 


 Stirling
 915 
 1,490 
 1,105 
 959 


 West Dunbartonshire
 1,199 
 1,532 
 1,074 
 1,212 


 West Lothian
 1,255 
 1,640 
 1,160 
 1,276 


 Scotland
 1,022 
 1,508 
 1,068 
 1,056 



  SBBS Average Saving by SBBS Band and Local Authority, 2009-10 in £

  

 2009-10
 RV Less Than 8,000- 100% Relief
 RV Between £8,000 and £10,000 50% Relief
 RV Between £10,000 and £15,000
  25% Relief
 Average Saving Over All Bands


 Aberdeen City
 1,771 
 2,010 
 1,413 
 1,743 


 Aberdeenshire
 1,055 
 1,998 
 1,455 
 1,117 


 Angus
 1,222 
 2,007 
 1,410 
 1,267 


 Argyll and Bute
 844 
 1,945 
 1,383 
 879 


 Clackmannanshire
 1,433 
 2,063 
 1,358 
 1,466 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 991 
 2,011 
 1,439 
 1,042 


 Dundee City
 1,591 
 1,875 
 1,429 
 1,593 


 East Ayrshire
 1,540 
 2,027 
 1,476 
 1,566 


 East Dunbartonshire
 1,779 
 2,013 
 1,408 
 1,759 


 East Lothian
 1,379 
 2,102 
 1,454 
 1,421 


 East Renfrewshire
 1,780 
 2,099 
 1,398 
 1,749 


 Edinburgh, City of
 1,832 
 1,994 
 1,417 
 1,797 


 Eilean Siar
 939 
 2,451 
 1,488 
 1,015 


 Falkirk
 1,553 
 2,106 
 1,446 
 1,586 


 Fife
 1,373 
 1,982 
 1,400 
 1,410 


 Glasgow City
 1,926 
 1,820 
 1,214 
 1,804 


 Highland
 954 
 2,025 
 1,446 
 1,006 


 Inverclyde
 1,757 
 2,091 
 1,453 
 1,757 


 Midlothian
 1,430 
 2,026 
 1,391 
 1,467 


 Moray
 990 
 2,058 
 1,594 
 1,058 


 North Ayrshire
 1,264 
 1,984 
 1,413 
 1,310 


 North Lanarkshire
 1,853 
 2,091 
 1,441 
 1,834 


 Orkney Islands
 751 
 1,891 
 1,422 
 785 


 Perth and Kinross
 1,271 
 1,921 
 1,453 
 1,318 


 Renfrewshire
 1,626 
 2,033 
 1,484 
 1,641 


 Scottish Borders
 1,108 
 1,934 
 1,381 
 1,149 


 Shetland Islands
 877 
 1,657 
 1,128 
 913 


 South Ayrshire
 1,362 
 1,970 
 1,400 
 1,404 


 South Lanarkshire
 1,723 
 1,979 
 1,423 
 1,717 


 Stirling
 1,212 
 1,953 
 1,442 
 1,271 


 West Dunbartonshire
 1,613 
 2,010 
 1,423 
 1,632 


 West Lothian
 1,651 
 2,158 
 1,506 
 1,681 


 Scotland
 1,359 
 1,983 
 1,397 
 1,403

Student Finance

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was invested in (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate student support in each of the last five years and what the year-on-year change was in real terms in each year.

Michael Russell: Tables 1 and 2 show total student support paid by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to undergraduate and postgraduate students for the five latest academic years. This has also been split into fee payments, grants/bursaries and loans. Information for the 2009-10 academic year will be published on the 27 October 2010 and will include a real terms measure of change over previous years. The measure shown in the following tables is based on nominal expenditure (i.e. not adjusted for inflation).

  Table 1: Undergraduate Student Support from Academic Year 2004-05 to 2008-09 (£000)

  

 Academic Year
 Fees
 Grants / Bursaries (Awards)
 Loans
 Total Support
 Percentage Change on Previous Year


 2004-05
 121,050
 75,391
 202,033
 398,474
 -5.8


 2005-06
 123,256
 94,282
 183,342
 400,880
 0.6


 2006-07
 141,390
 96,966
 177,832
 416,188
 3.8


 2007-08
 158,980
 98,667
 177,431
 435,078
 4.5


 2008-09
 179,554
 98,616
 179,587
 457,757
 5.2



  Table 2: Postgraduate Student Support from Academic Year 2004-05 to 2008-09 (£000)

  

 Academic Year
 Fees
 Grants / Bursaries (Awards)
 Loans
 Total Support
 Percentage Change on Previous Year


 2004-05
 7,957
 4,693 
 6,344
 18,994
 5.8


 2005-06
 8,854
 5,533
 8,327
 22,714
 19.6


 2006-07
 10,713
 5,890
 7,903
 24,506
 7.9


 2007-08
 10,505
 6,092
 6,822
 23,419
 -4.4


 2008-09
 10,993
 6,313
 7,284
 24,590
 5.0



  Source: SAAS.

  Notes:

  1. Cash totals are rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  2. Cash totals may not equal the sum of their constituent parts due to rounding.

  3. Student loan entitlement is calculated by SAAS. The Student Loans Company then extends the loan. This figures relate to entitlement rather than uptake, which may be lower.

  4. Postgraduate students include those doing Post Graduate Diploma in Education and Post Graduate Diploma in Community Education courses. These students are funded in the same way as undergraduates.

  5. The tables above exclude a small amount of support provided by SAAS to students for which information is not held regarding level of study.